Languages

Brazil

English

Yanomami tribe in Brazilian Amazon going extinct

Miners' attack on Yanomami Amazon tribe 'kills dozens'

 

[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_crop","fid":"126","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","id":"media_crop_9120813898860","media_crop_h":"0","media_crop_image_style":"-1","media_crop_instance":"16","media_crop_rotate":"0","media_crop_scale_h":"0","media_crop_scale_w":"0","media_crop_w":"0","media_crop_x":"0","media_crop_y":"0","typeof":"foaf:Image"}}]]

 
The Yanomami have previously complained of attacks by illegal miners
 

An attack by gold miners on a group

of Yanomami tribespeople in Venezuela has left up to 80 people dead, according

to campaign groups.

The attack is reported to have taken place last month in the remote

Irotatheri community, close to the border with Brazil.

The miners allegedly set fire to a communal house, with witnesses reporting

finding burnt bodies.

The Yanomami have previously complained of miners encroaching on their

lands.

Due to the community's remote location, it took those who discovered the

bodies days to walk to the nearest settlement to report the incident, according

to campaign group Survival International.

So far three survivors have been accounted for, according to Yanomami

organisations.

A statement from a network of Yanomami groups called on Venezuelan

authorities to investigate the incident and to co-operate with Brazil to

Brazils Congress approves controversial forest law

 
A\member of Congress protests as the Chamber of Deputies holds a plenary vote on the forest code 25 April 2012
 
Wednesday's vote capped months  

of bitter political argument

 

 

The Brazilian Chamber of Deputies has

approved controversial legislation that eases rules on how much land farmers

must preserve as forest.

Brazil's powerful farmers' lobby argues that the changes will promote

sustainable food production.

But environmentalists say the new forest code will be a disaster and lead to

further destruction of the Amazon.

The bill now goes to President Dilma Rousseff, who may use her veto to remove

some clauses.

Wednesday's 247-184 vote in favour of the new forest code capped a year of

political wrangling.

Brazil's farmers have long pushed for changes, arguing that uncertainty over

the current legislation has undermined investment in the agriculture sector,

which accounts for more than 5% of GDP.

Email Addresses